Discussions

I have seen and read the discussion about "troublesome kids" throwing rocks at someones car and so forth, I also tried to put up a post about the city closing the paddling pools. The one about kids being "bad" got alot of response, mine about paddling pools got none... does anyone else see a problem here??  
 
When I was a kid I spent my whole summer at the paddling pool, when I was small with my mom or babysitter, when I was bigger on my own... it was really fun, I made lots of friends and most importantly it kept me out of trouble. My partner on the other hand spent lots of time at the community center in the winter, skating and playing hockey, building forts and having snowball fights. For the most part (ha ha) it kept him out of trouble.  
 
I heard a rumor the other day that the city is now closing all the paddling pools in Brandon and will only be operating the "sprinkler parks" this year and from here on in. If you live here you probably know there are only 2 and they are both quite out of the way for many people, one is near Cornell Bay (near Crocus School) the other is downtown (14th St. I believe)  
 
They have been systematically closing paddle pools over the years citing cost and not enough need as the reason. We all know community centers have been struggling to stay open because they don't have enough volunteers...  
 
What is wrong with everyone?!? We wonder why kids are so "bad" and "mischevious" yet no one seems to care that kids in Brandon have nothing FREE to do. Let's face it some parents just don't care or just can't afford to put their kids in camps, organized sports, etc. These free things (community centers, paddling pools and the like) are fun and most importantly supervised places for kids to go!!!  
 
Everyone was quick to jump on the "bad kid" post and had lots to say about that, but no one even bothered with a post about closing down positive environments for kids to be. No wonder kids are the way they are today, they have nothing else to do.  
 
Our city government should be doing more and pumping more funding into finding ways to keep the more troubled of our future from getting into trouble. Why can't the city help interveiw, hire and pay people to run community centers??? Why can't we fix up the old dilapitated paddle pools??? When did we just stop caring??